I agree with Wild spot and smrobs, because that feeling of "oh sh!t" is so fun when some dink or a colt peels out and you pull your snaffle and the cheek piece of the headstall through his mouth....LOL

I've often wondered who started the notion of putting a curb strap on a snaffle. You won't find one in the UK or Europe, just here in NA. If the rider is pulling one rein so hard the bit slides thro the horse's mouth, it's time to rethink the training. The curb strap is ineffective in preventing the bit from sliding thro because the strap is so loose it will just go thro as well. So will part of the headstall. The size of the bit rings is what helps prevent the bit from sliding through and the horse's mouth would have to be gaping open.

The reason they are not used in UK is that a noseband or caveson is normally used there. We are talking here about using a chin strap (NOT a curb strap. let's get the lexicon correct) in situations where a Western rigged horse is using a snaffle, with usually no nose band, or a very loose bosal type, which does not in any way keep the hrose from gaping if he so wishes.

It will stop the bit from pulling through because while it it being pulling into the mouth on the one side (the side away from the side the rider is pulling from) the fact that it is attached to the on side (the side the ride is pulling from ( also means that is is pulled that way too, which causes it tighten in a way , and not go all the way through the mouth, as someone suggested.

The chin strap on mine was so loose that you could have pulled the bit at least halfway thru before the chin strap would be a factor. And while I've whipped Mia's face hard to one side a number of times (seems to be the most reliable way to stop a bolt before she gets a full stride in), I've never seen a bit look like it was going anywhere. I mostly use eggbutt & D-ring snaffles, though. The one loose ring snaffle I tried was one of those "one ride, try something else" bits. It has sat ever since in "The Box of Forlorn Tack".

If you pull something like this thru the horse's mouth, you've got some big problems...

"Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing...well, ignore it mostly."

Typically I do not use a D ring or full check snaffle. Most of mine are loose ring and off set D's.

I have pulled snaffles and part of a headstall through a horses mouth, and yep, if you are at that point- you are in a wreck or getting in one.
On the occasions it has happened I was hopping onto someone elses horse that was having issues. Also why I like a brow band headstall with a throatlatch on a snaffle.
When I bought Cracker, my gray horse last winter, he had the bad habit of running off to the gate and trying to jump out of the arena. Glad I had a good snaffle rig on him. even though it did no good stopping him or pulling him around at least it kept it on his head..LOL.

Yep, there is nothing quite like that feeling of being in a fight with a young horse and looking down to see your bit fully on one side of their head and all you're doing when you pull on the rein is pulling that ring a little farther from their eyeball LOL.

Chick, you and I see things a lot alike. I refuse to use any sort of bridle that isn't a browband/throatlatch. Had a couple of times years ago, using a one-ear, when a horse stumbled and stripped his headstall off trying to regain his feet. Thankfully, he was broke so it was as simple as stopping him and putting it back on, but if he'd been a youngster, yeah, that would have been a heck of a ride.

Always remember that feeling of looking at a big, open country over the ears of a good horse, seeing a new trail unwind ahead of you, and that ever-spectacular view from the top of the ridge!!! Follow my training blog: http://robertsontraining.blogspot.com/

Yep, there is nothing quite like that feeling of being in a fight with a young horse and looking down to see your bit fully on one side of their head and all you're doing when you pull on the rein is pulling that ring a little farther from their eyeball LOL.

Chick, you and I see things a lot alike. I refuse to use any sort of bridle that isn't a browband/throatlatch. Had a couple of times years ago, using a one-ear, when a horse stumbled and stripped his headstall off trying to regain his feet. Thankfully, he was broke so it was as simple as stopping him and putting it back on, but if he'd been a youngster, yeah, that would have been a heck of a ride.

LOL! I about spit out my drink when I read that first part!
That's when you start thinking about plan B because plan A is not working..LOL

I usually do use split ear headstalls for my broke horses in a shanked bit. That's what I was taught. But it can be a little nerve racking when riding with a bunch that likes to strip bridles off as they ride by or like in your case, paw it off their head...eeek!!!

Always remember that feeling of looking at a big, open country over the ears of a good horse, seeing a new trail unwind ahead of you, and that ever-spectacular view from the top of the ridge!!! Follow my training blog: http://robertsontraining.blogspot.com/

I used to use a chin strap... but it fell off at a beach ride and I never found it or have managed to replace it since. How tight/loose are they supposed to be? I always had trouble bridling him without taking it off of one side, which meant it was just one more doohicky of questionable usefulness I had to deal with and remember to do back up.

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